No sooner have we stowed away the winter clothes than it is ready to get the balcony in shape. After all, we want to make the most of our wellness zone and finally spend mild spring days and long summer evenings on the balcony ❤️.
Basics for balcony design
With a few tips and tricks, the balcony design is easy:
- Balcony covering: Should be coordinated with the orientation of the balcony.
- plants: Should also be aligned with the orientation and take the space into account. Which plants thrive in the bucket, which in the box?
- Sun protection: Most balconies can look forward to a visit from the sun, sun protection protects against too much sun and provides shade when we need it.
- Balcony furniture: Probably nobody wants to be on the balcony all evening or Sunday morning. Apart from the French balcony, also known as the jubilee balcony, seating and possibly tables and more fit on it. This makes the whole patio really cozy, so that we can stand it longer.
- Privacy screen: Is not a must-have, but can protect against prying eyes from the neighbors from the terrace diagonally below or from the neighboring balcony. Alternatively, a privacy screen is a chic decorative element that brings feel-good flair.
North or south? Tips for your balcony
How your balcony is oriented plays a significant role in your balcony design. Because not all balcony plants or furniture like blazing sun! Here you will find suitable tips for your comfortable seat!
South-facing balcony
You can enjoy the most hours of sunshine on the south-facing balcony. We are happy about that, of course, sun protection should not be missing. Because in summer it can get hot and so that we are not mercilessly exposed to the sun, we need help. This can be an awning, in a rented apartment this has to be discussed with the landlord, or an umbrella. There are umbrellas for smaller balconies that can be attached to the railing to save space.
plants
Here you rely on plants that like it very sunny:
- lavender
- Olive tree
- Citrus plants
- Geraniums
- Elf spur
- Jewelry lily
- oleander
An olive tree (or a citrus tree) brings Mediterranean flair to your home balcony.
Furniture and flooring
Metal furniture heats up quickly in the sun and is uncomfortable to sit on. Instead, you should rely on wooden furniture. The same applies to the floor: wood is more pleasant than an overheated stone floor. Are you not adept at crafting a new balcony covering: don't do anything! There are also beautiful outdoor rugs that look neat and protect your feet.
North balcony
The north balcony is now the exact opposite of the south balcony, because the sun can hardly get here. A blessing on hot days! But even without a lot of sun, the balcony is a real oasis of wellbeing. Use bright colors to make the patio look much friendlier. Fairy lights and lanterns bring light to the shady balcony and with colored decorative elements you set exciting highlights!
Plants for the north balcony
These plants also thrive in a shady location:
- Begonias
- Busy Lizzie
- Fuchsias
Herbs such as wild garlic, arugula, parsley or chives also thrive on a shadowy balcony!
Furniture and flooring
You don't have to be afraid of overheated floors or furniture here. Instead, prefer to use a surface that tolerates moisture well, because everything dries more slowly because of the lack of sun.
West balcony
If you own a west-facing balcony, you can look forward to the sun from late afternoon. It's clear where the after-work drink is enjoyed, isn't it ?!
Plants for the west balcony
A partially shaded location is ideal for these plants:
- Lilies
- Petunias
- Angel trumpets
- Wonder flower
Furniture and flooring
Care must also be taken here with metal furniture, the sun can still heat it up well.
East balcony
Sun in the morning, shade from noon: If you like breakfast, you can enjoy yourself on an east-facing balcony and enjoy the sun's rays. Not only that, but also later in the day the balcony can be used to relax without being exposed to the hot sun. Pleasant temperatures, a refreshing drink and a good book – hey, who doesn't dream of it ?!
Plants for the east balcony
As with the west balcony, plants with a partially shaded location are also ideal for the east balcony:
Furniture and flooring
When it comes to flooring, it's best to use materials that store heat well, e.g. B. tiles. The sun usually doesn't have as much power in the morning, so you don't have to do without metal furniture.
Make the balcony easy to maintain
We like to invest time in a nice balcony. H. but not that he should do a lot of work again and again!
Balcony furniture plastic are easy to care for and durable. So are furniture made of poly rattan quite weather-resistant, defy rain and do not fade so quickly when exposed to sunlight. Cleaning is usually very easy with water and a cloth!
Whether in the apartment, in the garden or on the balcony: Textiles are a real must-have to create comfort and atmosphere. Especially for the seating furniture only come for the balcony Outdoor pillow questionable! They also tolerate some moisture and keep their color in the sun. A Outdoor carpet made of polypropylene is also durable and hard-wearing.
Cheap decoration ideas for your balcony
It doesn't always take the most expensive decorative items to do anything! Here we show you how you can make garden decorations yourself, which also look great on a balcony. Chic decorative items that don't cost much are such. B.
- large and small lanterns
- Solar lights
- Fairy lights
- Chinese lanterns
- Fruit boxes as small shelves
- colorful flower pots to hang
- Hanging basket
- Wind chime
- candle holder
- Candles
- Garlands
- pressed flowers
- Plants, plants, plants
DIY ideas for the balcony
DIY furniture is not that difficult to make. Even home-made pallet furniture is still very popular – no wonder, as it can be individually designed and adapted to any balcony size!
Instead of buying flower pots, you can also use them as a flower pot or Hanging lanterns make of it:
This beautiful Wall decoration you can easily imitate it. Get a suitable frame (e.g. in a craft shop) and put on an old lace doily – tada! Beautifies your balcony in seconds!
Whether country house style, minimalist, Scandinavian or romantic: with a few tweaks and well-chosen furniture, your balcony quickly turns into your favorite place – according to your taste. There are even more balcony ideas for spring and balcony trends here. You can find more inspiration and information for the garden and balcony on our theme page on garden design.
Tip: In the BRIGITTE Community you can exchange ideas about everything related to living.